Top Reasons for Joining Healthcare Professional Organization (HPO)

What Exactly are HPOs?
Healthcare professional organizations (HPOs) represent a group of professionals working in synergy, towards a common goal of upholding and improving the healthcare profession that they are associated with. HPOs are usually voluntary, nonprofit and cooperative. They are formed to serve members in different ways, from providing social events and networking opportunities to organizing career services and professional development. Further, HPOs disseminate and compile information regarding their specific field and do legislative efforts to help pass a legislation concerned to their specific cause.

What do members get from healthcare professional organization?

Continuing Education
The field of healthcare is constantly changing and to keep up with the latest breakthroughs and developments, many healthcare professionals join professional associations for the journals, seminars and other educational benefits they provide. In addition, many HPOs offer discounts on their continuing education courses such as CEUs Discount Club San Diego. On top of that, they conveniently provide certification courses and mentoring opportunities. By being an HPO member, you are in an exceptional position of having competitive advantage by making the most of the educational resources offered to you.

Networking
Professional healthcare societies offer unmatched opportunities to connect with mentors, peers and other leaders in medical industry. Professional organization sponsor a number of events where you can share ideas, be a member of a committee, ask for advice or volunteer to be the speaker. An organization’s annual conference can be an incredible opportunity to meet and connect with your peers. Networking with professionals during these events gives you a wider perspective on the healthcare and the market.

Career Resources
Another reason to consider HPO membership is to grab the opportunity of their exclusive career resources. These organizations usually have a job listing, either in print or online, available for their members. This is a good way to search for specific postings suited on your area of interest. In addition, most organizations have a rich resource of tips available such as how to make effective cover letter and resumes, negotiating techniques and researching strategies.

Innate Value
HPOs constantly need active members to help organize workshops, CEU discount clubs and attend legislative committees. To reap the full benefits of membership, you have to be involved with the association. Helping the organization to further your professional can be a rewarding experience. You can find professional development through HPO. Often, associations offer budget ways to sharpen skills, keep updated of industry trends and access certifications needed to develop your career.

How to Join?
Most professional healthcare groups today allow online membership, depending on the type of membership you want to apply – e.g. practitioner, hospital and vendor. Simply visit their website and submit a form. But make sure you do research about the organization you are about to join, as some charge membership but offer no real networking opportunities. The research phase must be carefully planned out, allotting ample time to decide what health professional organization to join. Now, when you join an HPO, be intentional on your involvement and look for roles that suit your abilities and skills or the tasks where you can learn new skills.